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Brexit

Exploring the implications of Brexit for climate change policy

Since 2015, the UK’s relationship with the EU has dominated political debate in the UK.In many ways - and particularly since the referendum result in 2016 - it has become a defining issue forpeople living in the UK and the rest of Europe.

Brexit could also significantly affect the UK’s climate change policies and systems of enironmental governance.

But it could have equally important implications for EU policy and, by implication, international climate policy. In the past, the UK has been a very dynamic supporter of stronger EU policies. Post Brexit, it is very possible that both EU and international climate policy will be significantly weakened if the UK struggles to maintain its diplomatic leadership.

The Tyndall Centre’s work is coordinated though Brexit&Environment, an ESRC funded academic network, and its work is aligned with Greener UK – a cross sectoral alliance of environmental NGOs, that together have a combined membership of around 8 million people.

Brexit&Environment has worked closely with Greener UK to inform policy debates and discussions with NGOs, parliamentarians, and the devolved bodies in the UK, as well as the European Parliament.

In 2017, Environmental Data Services Ltd, a highly respected provider of specialist environmentntal policy knowledge, awarded the Brexit&Environment network its ‘Insight of the Year’ award for its pre-referendum work on climate and environemnt policy. The judges said it achieved “great thought leadership which will deliver real and clear benefits”